Wurm's Tooth MTG Card
2004-02-06 - Number 162
2005-07-29 - Number 316
2005-07-29 - Number 316★
2007-07-13 - Number 346
2009-07-17 - Number 222
2010-06-04 - Number 97
2010-07-16 - Number 222
2011-07-15 - Number 223
| Card sets | Released in 8 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Artifact |
Text of card
Whenever a player plays a green spell, you may gain 1 life.
A wurm knows nothing of deception. If it opens its mouth, it plans to eat you.
Cards like Wurm's Tooth
Wurm’s Tooth adds a unique dynamic to Magic: The Gathering’s selection of artifact cards that cater to life gain strategies. This card bears a resemblance to its kin in the “Tooth” cycle, like Dragon’s Claw for red spells or Kraken’s Eye for blue spells. Each offers incremental life gain every time a spell of the corresponding color is played, sustaining players through longer matches. Yet, Wurm’s Tooth specifically caters to green magic users, providing a steadier lifeline amidst their creature-heavy decks.
Looking towards the broader horizon of life gain artifacts, there’s also Sun Droplet which provides a steadier, albeit smaller, amount of life gain across each upkeep. Unlike Wurm’s Tooth, Sun Droplet isn’t contingent on spell color, giving it versatility in multicolored decks. However, Wurm’s Tooth can potentially outpace Sun Droplet in mono-green decks heavy on green spell casts. Another counterpart, Pristine Talisman, affords life gain while also ramping up mana, although at the cost of using the artifact itself.
In essence, while Wurm’s Tooth aligns well within the niche of colored spell life gain counterparts, its efficiency shines in dedicated green spell decks, setting itself as a cornerstone in such builds for players aiming to leverage every green spell cast.
Cards similar to Wurm's Tooth by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Wurm’s Tooth provides a steady stream of card advantage, especially in decks designed to capitalize on life gain. Each time you gain life, it triggers its ability, converting life gain occurrences into potential draws and ensuring your hand stays replenished during the match.
Resource Acceleration: While Wurm’s Tooth itself does not directly accelerate resources, the card advantage it provides can lead to a sequence of plays that culminate in resource acceleration. This is achieved by placing more land cards in your hand or drawing into spells that can ramp up your mana production.
Instant Speed: While Wurm’s Tooth is an artifact and not played at instant speed, it derives benefits from instant-speed life gain spells. This interaction allows you to potentially draw cards on your opponent’s turn, keeping pace with their strategy and granting you the flexibility to respond with more options in your hand.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Wurm’s Tooth doesn’t directly require you to discard, but it does little to help if you’re forced to pitch cards by other means. In such situations, the artifact provides no value or card advantage to counterbalance the loss.
Specific Mana Cost: Wurm’s Tooth demands two generic mana, making it easier to cast in multi-colored decks. However, the benefit it provides is specifically tied to casting green spells, which may not align with every strategy or mana base.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite a cost of just two, similar cards or effects in MTG could be more impactful for the same or less investment. In a game where efficiency is key, Wurm’s Tooth might not measure up to the alternatives available.
Reasons to Include Wurm’s Tooth in Your Collection
Versatility: Wurm’s Tooth can be a valuable asset in almost any deck that sees frequent creature spells cast, consistently providing life gain turn after turn.
Combo Potential: This card shines in life gain strategies, pairing well with cards that trigger effects each time you gain life, or for boosting the effects of cards reliant on high life totals.
Meta-Relevance: With creature-heavy decks commonly in play, Wurm’s Tooth keeps you ahead in the life total race, a factor that often tips the scales in prolonged matches.
How to beat
Wurm’s Tooth is a card that can be a thorn in your side if you’re not prepared. This artifact rewards its controller with life gain whenever a player casts a green spell, which can add up to significant advantages over time. Beating Wurm’s Tooth requires a bit of planning, and one of the most straightforward strategies is to remove it from play. Artifact destruction spells like Naturalize or shatter effects can easily do the job, dismantling the life gain engine before it causes too much trouble.
Another angle to consider is limiting the ways in which your opponent can capitalize on the life gains. This involves controlling the board and keeping green spells to a minimum. For a more proactive approach, cards that negate life gain such as Tainted Remedy can turn Wurm’s Tooth’s ability against its controller, making them think twice before casting their spells. Strategic planning and timing are crucial when managing artifacts with consistent benefits like Wurm’s Tooth, ensuring they don’t tip the scales too far in your opponent’s favor.
In essence, keep a cool head and remember your removal and control options when up against Wurm’s Tooth. Outmaneuver its effects and you’ll ensure it’s more of a toothache than a bite in your game.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Wurm's Tooth MTG card by a specific set like Darksteel and Ninth Edition, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.
For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.
Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.
Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Wurm's Tooth and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The Wurm's Tooth Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 2004-02-06 and 2011-07-15. Illustrated by Alan Pollack.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2004-02-06 | Darksteel | DST | 162 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Alan Pollack | |
| 2 | 2005-07-29 | Ninth Edition | 9ED | 316 | 2003 | Normal | White | Alan Pollack | |
| 3 | 2005-07-29 | Ninth Edition | 9ED | 316★ | 2003 | Normal | Black | Alan Pollack | |
| 4 | 2007-07-13 | Tenth Edition | 10E | 346 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Alan Pollack | |
| 5 | 2009-07-17 | Magic 2010 | M10 | 222 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Alan Pollack | |
| 6 | 2010-06-04 | Duels of the Planeswalkers | DPA | 97 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Alan Pollack | |
| 7 | 2010-07-16 | Magic 2011 | M11 | 222 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Alan Pollack | |
| 8 | 2011-07-15 | Magic 2012 | M12 | 223 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Alan Pollack |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Wurm's Tooth has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Wurm's Tooth card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2009-10-01 | If a player casts a green spell, Wurm’s Tooth’s ability triggers and is put on the stack on top of that spell. Wurm’s Tooth’s ability will resolve (causing you to gain 1 life) before the spell does. |
| 2009-10-01 | The ability triggers whenever any player, not just you, casts a green spell. |